Page 26 of One Weekend in Seattle

Okay, he didn’t manage to hide his surprise. “Why not? You were separated.” He was curious.

“It didn’t seem right.” She shrugged. “I mean, my parents may not have had money, but they had each other. They supported each other no matter what.”

“They sound like loving parents.” While he knew his parents loved him, they weren’t very demonstrative about it.

“They are. They’re proud of what I’ve become.”

“Lucky you.” His father looked down at him for owning a nightclub, telling him he needed to go back to tech. Sawyer had been more than glad to get out of that corporate cutthroat world. “Tell me more about the executive chef world. How competitive is it?”

“It depends.”

She snuggled deeper against his side, a good sign in his book.

“I was lucky. While the restaurant I work at is fairly elite, the staff are pretty down to earth.”

“Did you have to fight for your job?” After all she’d gone to school for, it didn’t seem fair if she had.

“Not really. The head chef liked me. Actually, all of the back of house, as I told you, was very supportive.”

“Was there an executive chef?”

“Yes.” She tilted her head back and grinned. “Carson was a great guy, an older gentleman who’d worked in the restaurant from day one. When I finished up my schooling and started moving my way up, he took me aside and told me he was retiring, and he wanted me to become executive chef.”

“Was the head chef upset?” Sawyer had done a tiny bit of research so he’d understand how his kitchen would be run.

“No. He didn’t want to be executive chef and told me to go for it. I understand more now.”

“In what way?” Minute by minute, Gabby was melting against him. Talking was a good thing, especially since the topic wasn’t him.

“Like I told you last night, the job requires a sixteen-hour day, almost seven days a week. While the pay is good, I’m starting to burn out.”

“I get that.” Wasn’t that why he sold his tech company? Burnout and all the backstabbing.

“I enjoy being a chef and some of the aspects of my job.”

“What else would you do?” He wanted to know about her dreams.

“Not sure. I’ve been thinking maybe a personal chef or maybe open a small café that didn’t require a big staff. It’s all up in the air.”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“You sound so sure.”

“I am.” He was. In his short time with Gabby, he could tell she had drive and integrity. “You’re a special woman.”

Gabby leaned up and kissed his cheek. “You’re special, too, Sawyer.”

Unable to help himself, he turned his head, and their lips met. The kiss started off soft, his lips touching hers, backing away only to go back. She shifted, and her lips parted. Sawyer deepened the kiss.

The slow kiss turned into a passionate embrace. His tongue tangled with hers. He shifted, and Gabby was half lying down on the sofa with him over her. The kiss continued, and her hands slid around his neck, fingers playing with his hair.

Sawyer drew back and gazed down at Gabby. Her face was slightly flushed, her breathing rapid. Her green eyes were bright with desire. He lowered his head. He had no idea how much time they’d spent kissing and touching on the sofa.

“Shall we move this into the bedroom?” he asked, noticing her shirt was off, as was his.

“Yes.”

He grinned as he stood, and swooped her into his arms.

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